About Our Podcast
"Can You Hear Me?" is a bi-weekly podcast for leaders who want to get serious about using effective communications to advance their organizations. Each episode explores the latest issues affecting business, leadership, and organizational culture through a communications lens. Co-hosts Rob Johnson and Eileen Rochford bring decades of experience in broadcast journalism, public relations, and executive communications, discussing topics ranging from CEO brand building and misinformation challenges to the power of empathy and the human voice in today’s AI-driven world. With a blend of expert insights, engaging anecdotes, and actionable advice, the show empowers professionals to become more effective, confident communicators. Recognized as a top public relations and marketing podcast, "Can You Hear Me?" is as energizing as it is informative.
Meet the Co-Hosts
Rob Johnson is a veteran broadcast journalist and the President of Rob Johnson Communications. With a career spanning major market newsrooms and award-winning reporting, Rob transitioned seamlessly into communications consulting, specializing in media training, executive coaching, and crisis response. He’s known for his engaging storytelling, his ability to distill complex situations into clear messages, and his unique perspective gained from years in the public eye. Rob’s mission, both in his consulting work and on the podcast, is to help leaders sharpen their communication skills and elevate their brand presence.
Eileen Rochford is the CEO of The Harbinger Group, a strategic communications firm headquartered in Chicago. She has deep experience in public relations, organizational strategy, and marketing, advising executives, companies, and nonprofits on how to tell their stories effectively and authentically. Eileen is recognized for her commitment to ethical communications, her focus on empathy in leadership, and her drive to help organizations navigate rapid change. On "Can You Hear Me?", Eileen brings not just insights from her career but a genuine enthusiasm for helping others become better communicators and leaders.
Together, Rob and Eileen combine complementary backgrounds in media, consulting, and leadership to create a dynamic, highly relevant show that guides listeners through the ever-evolving world of business communications.
Recent Episodes
Trust and Alignment During an Exit
For founders of companies, getting to the finish line of a merger or acquisition is a dream of a lifetime. But how important is it to maintain trust and alignment when someone else is taking over? In this episode of Can You Hear Me? Podcast, co-hosts Rob Johnson and Eileen Rochford interview James R...
Authenticity Fatigue: When “Being Real” Became a Trend – exploring how brands and leaders can maintain genuine voice amid buzzwords
For years we have heard the importance of top brands being authentic. Now, with the significance of AI as a business problem solver, how do brands stay authentic with AI present around every turn? And how do brands overcome authenticity fatigue? On this edition of the Can You Hear Me? Podcast, co-ho...
Why PR Must Own AI Visibility
As many PR professionals know, the landscape of their business is changing rapidly due to the requirements of generative AI. The old search engine model has now been replaced by what AI says about your company and brand. In this episode of the “Can You Hear Me?” podcast, co-hosts Rob Johnson and Eil...
Our Team
Co-Host
Eileen Rochford
Co-Host
Rob Johnson
Assistant Producer
Olivia Sowacke
Audio Engineer
Declan Beyer
Reviews
What the people say about us
The Future of Comms with Marci Pelzer
Rob and Eileen are brilliant creators providing much-needed professional development for storytellers at every point in their career.
Essential for business leaders
I initially clicked on this podcast after seeing on LinkedIn that my amazing mentor, Marci Pelzer, was featured as a guest in an episode. And, I am SO glad I did. What I love about this particular conversation was how informative, relatable, and personal it felt. The energy was great and the discussion flowed naturally...
Read MoreThink you know it all? Wrong.
If you think you already know it all, you are selling yourself short. This podcast has already helped me refine our social media marketing strategy through insightful discussions on how to think about our approach, and observations on how trends are evolving. A great show for anyone telling their organization’s story.